Packaging of horticultural products for transport

ABSTRACT

An improved method and system for packaging horticultural products for transport is provided. An insert, which may be frusto-conical in shape, comprising a first and second open end is inserted into a larger vessel such that a watertight seal is formed between the first open end and the opening of the vessel. The insert thus defines a space between a sidewall of the insert and a sidewall of the vessel, and a space below the second open end of the insert above the base of the vessel. The space may be partially filled with a liquid in a volume such that when the vessel and insert is tipped or inverted, the liquid is retained within the space defined in the vessel. Also provided is a carrying case, which may be manufactured from paperboard or cardboard, for transporting the vessel and insert.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present application relates generally to an improved system and method of packaging horticultural products for transport.

2. Description of the Related Art

Horticultural products, such as cut flowers and potted plants, are often transported over large distances and/or up to several days before they reach the consumer. Even after the horticultural products are received by the distributor or retailer from the grower, the products may still require repackaging and must be once again transported to the consumer, whether the consumer purchases the product at a retail outlet and transports the product home him- or herself, the distributor ships the product to a retailer, or the retailer ships the product to the consumer. Even the last leg in the horticultural product's journey from the grower to the ultimate consumer may require long haul transport from the retailer to the consumer. Horticultural products are generally perishable goods that require proper environmental conditions even during transport, and in particular water, to keep the products fresh. The inclusion of water in a packaging system, however, increases the risk of spillage, and couriers and other delivery services may be reluctant to transport packages with a known risk of spillage. Thus, the inclusion of water in such packaging has hitherto generally required the packager to ensure that any vessels containing liquid are capable of forming a substantially watertight seal around the stems of the packaged plants.

In addition, hitherto the secure packaging of horticultural products, in particular cut flowers and other plants, for shipping to the consumer generally requires the consumer to unpack the plants upon receipt, locate a vase or other vessel to hold the plants, and to spend time arranging the plants in the vessel. The expenditure of effort or time in arranging the plants may prove an annoyance or be unenjoyable to some recipients of cut plants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example only embodiments of this application,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an insert for a vessel.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 c are cross-sectional views of embodiments of the insert of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 a to 3 b are plan views of the insert embodiments of FIGS. 2 a to 2 c.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are perspective views of the insert of FIG. 1 in a vessel partially filled with a liquid.

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b are perspective views of the inserts and vessels of FIGS. 4 a and 4 b in an inverted orientation.

FIG. 5 c is a perspective view of the insert and vessel of FIG. 4 a in an angled orientation.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the insert and vessel of FIG. 4 a in a carrying case.

FIG. 6B is a perspective exploded view of the carrying case of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6C is a perspective view of the carrying case of FIG. 6A and a containing box therefor.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a die-cut medium for forming a carrying case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Where cut plants, such as flowers, are required to be packaged with water for transportation, various means for enclosing the cut end of the plant stem in water have been provided to minimize the risk of water spillage. For example, it is generally known to insert the stem end into a small vial containing water and sealed with a rubber or plastic cap. The cap is provided with a hole or slit for receiving the stem, and thereby provides a substantially watertight seal to prevent significant leakage of water from the vial. However, this solution often requires a separate vial for each stem end to be kept in water; the more stems inserted through each cap, the less snug the fit between the cap and the stems may be. Another solution requires the cut end of each stem, or groups of stems, to be encased in a small foam piece impregnated with water. The foam may be shaped like an envelope or pouch, or may alternatively be provided as a flat piece to be folded around the stem ends. The foam piece may then be secured by elastic bands or some other binding. Again, this solution often requires multiple pieces if the floral or plant arrangement to be packaged contains multiple stems. In any event, once the cut plants are unpacked for display, for example by the ultimate recipient, the recipient must remove each of the vials or foam pieces and arrange the plants in a vessel such as a vase.

Other solutions may include the use of compressible foam or a similarly compressible material to seal the opening of a vessel containing water, and inserting the cut stem ends of the plants though the foam or other material and into the water. These solutions require selection of appropriate foam or other material with an appropriate compressibility factor that is sufficiently water-impermeable, and holes or slits cut in the foam or other material to admit the stems, again such that the seal around each stem, and between the foam and the vessel opening, is substantially watertight. Further, if the recipient wishes to add more water to the vessel, either the entire piece of foam or other material must be removed, or one or more individual stems from the foam must be removed so that water can be added. This potentially destroys the watertight seal when the foam piece or stem is replaced, as the overall contours of the foam or other material may have been altered by handling. In addition, if the foam or other material is sized to receive specific stem sizes, it may not be reusable for other plants.

Therefore, in accordance with the embodiments described below, an apparatus, assembly and method are provided for packaging horticultural products for transport. In particular, the horticultural products may be cut plants such as flowers, comprising stems. For ease of reference, the description below may refer to cut flowers, but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be used with other plants or horticultural products.

In one embodiment, an insert 100 as shown in FIG. 1 is provided. The insert 100 is provided with a sidewall 120 having an exterior face 120 a and an interior face 120 b. The sidewall 120 extends from a first, open end 130 for engaging a vessel (not shown) to a second, open end 110. In the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures, the first, open end 130 is provided with a larger area than the second, open end 110, and both are substantially circular in area. The insert 100 thus has a generally frusto-conical shape. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, however, that the shape of the insert 100 may be varied without altering the function of the insert 100 described below. For example, the insert 100 may be angular rather than circular in cross-section; the insert 100 may have a generally cylindrical or funnel-like shape instead. Further, the relative dimensions of the first and second ends 130, 110 may be varied, although generally the perimeter defined by the second end 110 may be smaller than the perimeter of the first end 130.

The first, open end 130 may be provided with a lip 140 which, when viewed in the perspective view of FIG. 1, may appear as an enlargement around the upper edge of the first, open end 130. The lip 140 may be shaped to receive and engage an upper edge of a vessel when the insert 100 is placed in the vessel. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 c, the lip 140 extends beyond the sidewall 120 and thus defines a larger circumference or perimeter than the sidewall 120. A skirt 144 may depend from the outer perimeter of the lip 140, or from near the outer perimeter of the lip 140, thus defining a space between the skirt 144 and the sidewall 120. The space may be sized to receive the upper edge of a vessel, providing either a temporary or a permanent mechanical lock between the insert 100 and the vessel. For example, the skirt 144 and the sidewall 120 may provide an interference fit around the upper edge of the vessel; the material used to form either the sidewall 120 or the skirt 144, or the vessel may be provided with suitable tensile or compressive qualities to achieve the interference fit. Further, the skirt 144 may be provided with an inwardly-extending flange 148, extending towards the sidewall 120, which may also assist in providing the interference fit with the vessel.

The second, open end 110 may be defined in a variety of ways. Three examples are provided in FIGS. 2 a to 2 c. The second end 110 may be completely open, defined only by the end of the sidewall 120, as in FIG. 2 a. As can be seen in the corresponding plan view of FIG. 3 a, the second end 110 is thus provided with an aperture 115 defined by the sidewall 120. It will be appreciated, particularly in view of the description below, that stems of cut flowers may be inserted through the insert 100 from the first, open end 130 to the second end 110. In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 b, the second end 110 may be provided with an additional shelf 150. In the frusto-conical examples of the insert 100 depicted in the figures, the shelf 150 have a generally annular configuration. An aperture 155 is thus defined by an inner perimeter of the shelf 150, as can be seen in FIG. 3 b. This aperture 155, defining a smaller area than the perimeter of the sidewall 120, thus restricts the area available to stems of cut flowers inserted in the insert 100. In a third embodiment shown in FIG. 2 c, the second end 110 is provided with a base 160 extending from the sidewall 120. At least a portion of the base 160 may be provided with a plurality of slits or apertures 165 for admitting passage of the stems of the cut flowers, as shown in FIG. 3 c. In the example of FIG. 3 c, a plurality of slits are provided in a star-like formation radiating from a center point of the base 160, thus defining a plurality of wedges. When a stem (not shown) is pushed through the base 160, one or more of the wedges defined by the slits 165 may be bent or elastically deformed, but may have sufficient strength to provide some compression on the stem to retain the stem in place.

The insert 100 may be manufactured from a variety of materials, including but not limited to plastics, metal, wood, composites, laminates, and even paper or cardboard. The selection of appropriate material is within the ability of the person skilled in the art, who will appreciate that certain qualities of tensile strength or compressibility may be desirable, particularly if an interference or similar mechanical fit on the vessel, shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, is intended. The thickness of the sidewall 120, lip 140, skirt 144 and flange 148, and of the shelf 150 or base 160, may be selected as appropriate to provide sufficient rigidity to the structure of the insert 100 while providing sufficient bending or deformation. As one example, the insert 100 may be formed from one of the many available forms of polystyrene.

Turning to FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, examples of the insert 100 in place in vessels 200 a, 200 b are shown. In FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, the insert 100 is placed in the opening of the vessel 200 a, 200 b and snap-fit to the opening edge of the vessel 200 a, 200 b by means of the lip 140. However, it will be appreciated that other means of permanently or temporarily affixing the insert 100 to the vessel 200 a, 200 b may be used. For example, the insert 100 and the vessel 200 a, 200 b may be provided with cooperating threads and grooves so that the insert 100 may be screwed onto, or into, the vessel 200 a, 200 b. If the material from which the insert 100 is manufactured is deformable, the lip 140 may be crimped onto the opening edge of the vessel 200 a, 200 b. The vessel 200 a, 200 b may be provided with an annular bead or other protrusions (not shown) extending from the exterior face of the vessel, near the opening of the vessel, so that the lip and in particular the skirt 144 and flange 148 may be elastically deformed as they are fit over the annular bead, such that the insert 100 is retained on the vessel by means of compression exerted by the skirt 144 and flange 148 on the annular bead. Other methods of mounting the insert 100 on the vessel, similar to those used to mount plastic, elastically deformable lids on containers that would be known to the person skilled in the art, may be used. Any suitable sealing mechanism may thus be used to join the insert 100 to the vessel 200 a, 200 b. The joining of the insert 100 and the vessel 200 a, 200 b may be substantially watertight, so as to prevent seepage of water or other liquids from the vessel.

It can be seen from the examples of FIGS. 4 a and 4 b that the insert 100 generally has a smaller volume than the vessel 200 a, 200 b such that when the insert is fitted into the container, there is a space 250 defined between the sidewall 120 of the insert 100 and the interior surface of the vessel 200 b. In addition, when the vessel-insert assembly is upright, space 260 is provided below the second opening 110 of the insert 100. The vessel 200 a, 200 b may be filled with water or another liquid 220 through the first opening 130 of the insert 100, and when the vessel-insert assembly is upright and immobile, the liquid will rest in the space 260 within the vessel 200 a, 200 b. The stems 210 (shown in phantom) of cut flowers may be inserted through the insert 100 and into the liquid in the vessel 200 a, 200 b.

The amount of liquid 220 added to the vessel 200 a, 200 b may be selected so as to minimize spillage when the vessel-insert assembly is tipped. Referring to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b, examples generally corresponding to the vessel-insert assemblies of FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are shown. In FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, the assemblies are inverted (stems 210 are not shown for clarity). It can be seen that the upper level 225 of the liquid 220 in the vessels 200 a, 200 b is below the height of the second opening 110 of the insert 100 within the vessel 200 a, 200 b, indicated in each of FIGS. 5 a, 5 b by the level h. Thus, the liquid 220 is contained in the space 250 defined between the sidewall 120 and the wall of the vessel 200 a, 200 b, as indicated in FIGS. 4 a, 4 b. In other words, the volume of the liquid 220 added to the vessel is less than the volume of the space 250 defined by the level h, the sidewall 120, the vessel wall, and the opening of the vessel and/or the first open end 130 or the lip 140 of the insert 100. Thus, the liquid does not reach the second open end 110 of the insert 100, and thus does not exit the vessel-insert assembly through the insert 100. If the seal between the insert 100 and the vessel 200 a, 200 b is sufficiently watertight, the liquid within the vessel 200 a, 200 b will not seep out of the vessel-insert assembly when the assembly is tipped from an upright position, as shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, to either the inverted position of FIGS. 5 a, 5 b or an intermediate position.

Further, the volume of liquid added to the vessel 200 a, 200 b may be such that even when the vessel is tipped at an angle, as shown in FIG. 5 c, the liquid is still contained within the space defined between the sidewall 120 of the insert 100 and the wall of the vessel. In FIG. 5 c, the vessel 200 a of FIGS. 4 a and 5 a is shown tipped at an angle. The liquid 220 contained therein does not reach the level of the second open end 110 of the insert 100, which is marked in FIG. 5 c as level h′; thus, the liquid 220 does not exit the vessel-insert assembly through the insert 100. As long as the liquid does not reach the height of the opening in the second end 110 of the insert 100, the liquid will be retained in the vessel-insert assembly shown in these figures, even when the assembly is tipped over from its upright position. In the foregoing embodiments, the insert 100 may be provided with a second open end 110 having an opening with a perimeter defined by the sidewall 120, as in FIGS. 2 a and 3 a. However, the insert 100 may be provided with a second end 110 as shown in FIG. 2 b or 2 c; in these embodiments, the level h or h′ to which the liquid inside the vessel-insert assembly may reach before spilling out through the insert 100 may be higher, since the open area of the second end 110 is smaller in diameter in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 b and 2 c.

Thus, the insert 100 may be used with any appropriate vessel 200 a, 200 b, such as a vase, as follows: the vessel 200 a or 200 b, or another vessel suitable for floral or other horticultural arrangements and for holding liquid is provided. An insert 100 is also provided, having a lip 140 or other sealing mechanism to provide a substantially watertight seal between the first end 130 of the insert 100 and the opening of the vessel 200 a, 200 b. The vessel 200 a, 200 b may be provided with cooperative elements at or near its opening to cooperate with the sealing mechanism on the insert 100 to provide the seal. The vessel 200 a, 200 b and the insert 100 are assembled to provide a vessel-insert assembly. Alternatively, a single vessel with an integral insert—i.e., an integral vessel-insert assembly—may be provided, such that there is no need for any sealing mechanism at the first end 130 of the insert and/or the opening of the vessel.

Water, or any other suitable liquid, is poured to the vessel-insert assembly. The liquid may be instead be added to the vessel 200 a, 200 b, prior to assembly of the vessel-insert assembly, after which the insert 100 may be installed on the vessel. The liquid may be added so that the volume of liquid does not result in spillage through the open ends of the insert 100 when the vessel-insert assembly is tipped, rotated or inverted. To facilitate the addition of liquid in the correct amount, a marking may be provided on the exterior or the interior of the vessel 200 a, 200 b to allow the user to gauge when sufficient liquid has been added. If the liquid is added to the vessel 200 a, 200 b before the insert 100 is installed, a marking on the interior of the vessel 200 a, 200 b may be sufficiently visible by the user. In a further embodiment, shown only in FIG. 4 a, the second end 110 of the insert 100 may be provided with a level indicator 290 extending from the second end 110 towards the base of the vessel 200 a. The level indicator 290 may simply be a flange or flag formed of the same material as the insert 100 with an appropriate length indicating a maximum depth of liquid in the vessel-insert assembly. With such a level indicator 290, the user may pour the liquid into the vessel-insert assembly and observe the level indicator 290; when the liquid contacts the lower end of the level indicator 290, the maximum suitable volume of liquid will have been added for that particular vessel-insert assembly. To improve visibility of the level indicator 290, it may be provided with a foot extending along the plane of the bottom of the vessel, and towards the center of the vessel 200 a; the foot may be more easily seen by the user as liquid is poured into the vessel. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the maximum amount of liquid that may be added to a given vessel-insert assembly to avoid spillage when the vessel-insert assembly is tipped or inverted will depend on the size and shape of both the vessel 200 a, 200 b and the insert 100. The overall dimensions of the vessel 200 a, 200 b and insert 100 may also be selected according to the size of the horticultural arrangement to be displayed in the vessel-insert assembly.

The horticultural product, such as cut flowers, greenery, grasses, and other plants and decorative features may then be inserted the vessel-insert assembly so that the cut ends of any stems 210 are submerged in the liquid 220 in the vessel 200 a, 200 b. If the insert 100 is provided with a second end 110 such as the base 160 of FIG. 3 c, then the stems will be inserted through the slits or apertures provided in the base 160. Again, the liquid may be added at this stage rather than prior to insertion of the cut flowers and other plants, although it may be more difficult for the user to see whether the appropriate amount of liquid has been added to the vessel-insert assembly.

With the vessel-insert assembly described above, a means for arranging, displaying and packaging a cut floral or other plant arrangement is provided that minimizes the risk of spilling when the arrangement is transported to the consumer or other recipient. The vessel-insert assembly may both be manufactured of comparatively inexpensive and lightweight materials to provide cost-effective means of packaging the arrangement. Because the insert 100 is useful in preventing liquid seepage or spillage, even if the vessel-insert assembly is tipped, the vessel-insert assembly is suitable for courier delivery or other modes of shipping, even if the assembly contains water or another liquid. Further, the foregoing embodiments do not require the use of a watertight seal around the stems of the cut plants themselves or the insertion of foam or other materials for holding the stems in place. The vessel-insert assembly is thus reusable with different horticultural arrangements, regardless of stem size of the plants, and regardless of any thorns, bumps, leaves, or other irregularities that would interfere with prior art solutions involving the use of foam, rubber sealing caps, or other means for providing a watertight seal around the plant stems. Further, there is no need to package each stem or groups of stems separately in vials or other water-retaining devices to preserve the horticultural arrangement through the delays of shipping; the vessel-insert assembly, with liquid and horticultural arrangement, can be quickly assembled.

The foregoing vessel-insert assembly, because it may be manufactured to resemble vases or other containers that purchasers may use to display floral and other horticultural arrangements in homes and offices, also provides a convenient display for use at retail locations. Horticultural arrangements can be displayed in the vessel-insert assemblies, with water, either sitting upright on a table or counter, or alternatively displayed tilted at an angle in a specialized display such as a floral wagon. If no more than the maximum volume of water or other liquid is provided in the vessel-insert assemblies, there may be a reduced risk of liquid spillage due to careless customers jostling or knocking over an arrangement. In addition, a purchaser wishing to purchase a selection of cut plants from a retailer may simply select the desired plants from the display, and insert them into the vessel-insert assembly him- or herself.

While the inserts 100 and vessels 200 a, 200 b may be manufactured specifically to fit together, inserts 100 may also be shaped and manufactured to fit other shapes of vases and containers—effectively, to retro-fit existing vessels to provide vessel-insert assemblies. The inserts 100 may be manufactured in a variety of sizes and shapes. To increase the range of vessel sizes that an insert 100 may fit, the first end 130 of the insert and/or the lip 140 may be provided with an annular foam or rubber layer that may be compressed to fit slightly different opening diameters of vessels. This foam or rubber, while it may operate to provide a substantially watertight or seepage-resistant seal between the insert 100 and the vessel, is not used to provide a watertight seal around the individual stems of the horticultural arrangement.

To facilitate transport of a horticultural arrangement in the vessel-insert assembly of FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, a carrying case may be provided. Turning to FIGS. 6A and 6B, a perspective view of a carrying case 300 is shown, with some features in phantom. A base portion 310 supports the vessel-insert assembly, here shown as comprising the vessel 200 a and insert 100. Four sidewalls are provided adjoined to the base portion 310. A first pair of sidewalls 320, 322 extends from two opposing edges of the base portion 310. These sidewalls 320, 322 each further extend to corresponding handle portions 330, 332. Each of the handle portions 330, 332 may be provided with a handle aperture such as the aperture 334 visible in FIG. 6A, B. The distal edges 336 of the handle portions 330, 332 may be joined, whether integrally or by an adhesive or mechanical locking means, although the handle portions 330, 332 may be unattached to each other. The second pair of sidewalls 340, 342 extends from another two opposing edges of the base portion 310.

The four sidewalls 320, 322 and 340, 342 thus define an interior of the carrying case 300. At least one of these sidewalls 340, 342 may be provided with a further flap 350, which may be folded inwards towards the interior of the carrying case 300. The flap 350 may be provided with a cutaway portion 355, shown in further detail in FIG. 7, for receiving the stems of the horticultural arrangement in the vessel-insert assembly. The flap 350 thus assists in retaining the horticultural arrangement in position during transit. The opposing sidewall 342 may also be provided with a corresponding flap and cutaway portion (not shown) that also assists in retaining the arrangement in place. Further, the case 300 may also be provided with substantially vertically-oriented flaps extending from one or more of the side edges of the sidewalls 320, 322, 340, 342, for example sidewalls 320, 322, towards the interior of the carrying case 300. These further flaps, not shown in FIG. 6A, B, may contact the exterior of the vessel 200 a and thus assist in retaining the vessel-insert assembly, and the horticultural arrangement, in place. Alternatively, a further support means with a collar, optionally in the same material as the carrying case 300, may be included in the base of the carrying case to provide additional stability to the arrangement. The handle portions 330, 332 extend above the horticultural arrangement in the case 300, providing a tent-like structure over the arrangement to provide protection of the arrangement from the environment. As shown in FIG. 6C, the carrying case 300 may be inserted into a further box dimensioned to accommodate the case 300 with minimal slippage.

The carrying case 300 may be manufactured from a single, die-cut piece of cardboard, such as corrugated cardboard, single or double-wall, or paperboard. FIG. 7 is a plan view of one embodiment of an carrying case 300 that may be die-cut from cardboard or paperboard. The base portion 310 is adjacent each of the four sidewalls 320, 322, 340, and 342. The cardboard or paperboard may be scored along a foldline between each of these sidewalls and the base portion 310. The handle portions 330, 3332 extend from each of the sidewalls 320, 322 respectively, and the demarcation between the handle portions 330, 332 and the sidewalls 320, 322 again may be scored. Similarly, scoring may demarcate the flaps 350, 360 from each of the sidewalls 340, 342 respectively. The first flap 350 may be provided with the cutaway 355, which may be generally circular in shape but also with a cutaway portion to allow for easy insertion of steps within the cutaway 355. The first flap 350 may also be provided with slits 357, which may receive some of the stems of a horticultural arrangement; the compressive force exerted by the cardboard or paperboard on the stems caught in these slits 357 assists in keeping the arrangement in place. The first flap 350 may also be provided with tabs 358 that can be received in the slots 368 provided adjacent the second flap 360. Like the first flap 350, the second flap 360 may be provided with a cutaway portion 365 and slits 367 for receiving stems of the arrangement.

Adjacent the sidewalls 320, 322, there may be provided additional flanges or flaps 370, 372, 374, and 376. These flanges may be foldable along score lines differentiating the flanges from the sidewalls 320, 322, and may be provided with a contour generally matching the vessel-insert assembly to be packaged in the carrying case 330. These flanges may extend substantially from the base portion 310 to the approximate height of the sidewalls 320, 322; the sidewalls 320, 322 may have a similar height to the sidewalls 340, 342, which are generally sized so that the ends of the sidewalls 340, 342 distal from the base portion 310 are at, or slightly higher, than the vessel-insert assembly to be packaged in the carrying case.

The carrying case 300 may be assembled by folding each of the sidewalls 320, 322, 340, 342 from the base portion to define the interior of the case 300. The vessel-insert assembly, containing liquid and the horticultural arrangement, may be placed o the base portion 310. The flanges 370, 372, 374, 376 may then be folded towards the vessel-insert assembly to assist in retaining the assembly in position in the case 300. Each of the flaps 350, 360 may then be folded so that their cutaways 355, 365 encircle the stems of the horticultural arrangement; some stems of the arrangement may be inserted in the slits 367, 357. The flaps 350, 360 may be mechanically locked into position by inserting the tabs 358 in the corresponding slots 368. The shape of the tabs may be wider than the slots 368 to enhance the locking function of the tabs 358. The handle portions 330, 332 may then be bent towards each other, and held together by the user holding the handle portions together using the handle apertures 334.

The carrying case 300 thus does not require adhesives, staplers, or other fasteners to retain its shape. Fasteners may be used to enhance the rigidity of the assembled carrying case 300, but the carrying case 300 may be sufficiently sturdy through use of the locking tabs and slots 358, 368 and by holding the handle portions 330, 332 together. The size of the case 300, defined by the area of the base 310, the height of the sidewalls 320, 322, 340, 342 and the handle portions 330, 332, may be determined according to the size of vessel-insert assembly and horticultural arrangement to be packaged therein. Other suitable materials may be selected by the person skilled in the art, although cardboard provides a sufficiently sturdy and lightweight packaging.

The carrying case can thus be easily assembled to provide a convenient case for carrying the vessel-insert assembly described above. The carrying case 300 is easily disassembled once received at its final destination, at which point the recipient need only separate the handle portions 330, 332 and the flaps 350, 360 to reveal the intact horticultural arrangement, already set up for display in the vessel-insert arrangement. The recipient may add additional water or other liquid, if desired, but otherwise, if the arrangement is packaged with water in the vessel-insert assembly, the recipient need take no further steps to prepare the plants for display; there is no need to locate a vase or other container for the arrangement, nor any need to remove individual vials or other attachments on the cut ends of the stem. The carrying case 300 also assists in reducing the likelihood of tipping or spilling during transit. The case 300 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 has a substantially square or rectangular footprint, making the cases 300 easy to pack efficiently on the floor of a delivery truck.

The foregoing description provides illustrative examples of the present invention and is not meant to limit the scope of the subject matter described herein. Many variations will be apparent to those knowledgeable in the field, and such variations are within the scope of the invention as described and claimed, whether or not expressly described. 

1. An assembly for holding a horticultural product, the assembly comprising: a vessel comprising at least a base and a sidewall, said base and sidewall defining a vessel interior; an insert component disposed in an opening of the vessel, the insert component comprising a sidewall defining a first open end disposed proximal to the opening of the vessel and a second open end disposed in the vessel interior and spaced from the base of the vessel, the sidewall of the insert component defining a space in the vessel interior between said sidewall and the sidewall of the vessel, the insert component being joined to the vessel proximal to the opening of the vessel in a substantially watertight join, the insert component thus providing for passage of at least one stem of the horticultural product therethrough to the vessel interior; and a volume of liquid contained in the vessel, wherein the volume of liquid is selected such that an upper level of the liquid remains below the second open end of the insert component.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert component is integral with the vessel.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert component is joined to the vessel using a sealing mechanism.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a lip disposed around a perimeter of the first open end, the lip being adapted to mechanically lock around a perimeter of the vessel opening.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second open end comprises a smaller perimeter than the first open end.
 6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the insert component is substantially frusto-conical in shape.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert component is manufactured from polystyrene.
 8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert component further comprises, at the second open end, a base comprising a plurality of intersecting slits for receiving the at least one stem of the horticultural product.
 9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the horticultural product comprises a plurality of cut plants, each comprising a stem.
 10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a carrying case comprising: a base; a plurality of sidewalls connected to and extending from said base at a first edge of each of said plurality of sidewalls; at least one of said sidewalls comprising a flap connected to and extending from an opposing edge of said sidewall, said flap comprising a cutaway portion for receiving the at least one stem of the horticultural product when said assembly is resting on said base and comprises said horticultural product; at least two of said sidewalls, other than said at least one of said sidewalls comprising the flap, each comprising a handle portion connected to and extending from an opposing edge of each of said at least two of said sidewalls.
 11. A method for packaging a horticultural product, the method comprising: providing a vessel comprising at least a base and a sidewall, said base and sidewall defining a vessel interior, and an insert component disposed in an opening of the vessel, the insert component comprising a sidewall defining a first open end disposed proximal to the opening of the vessel and a second open end disposed in the vessel interior and spaced from the base of the vessel, the sidewall of the insert component defining a space in the vessel interior between said sidewall and the sidewall of the vessel, the insert component being joined to the vessel proximal to the opening of the vessel in a substantially watertight join, the insert component thus providing for passage of at least one stem of the horticultural product therethrough to the vessel interior; providing a volume of liquid in the vessel, wherein the volume of liquid is selected such that an upper level of the liquid remains below the second open end of the insert component; and inserting a stem of a horticultural product through the insert component such that a cut end of the stem is submerged in the liquid.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing said vessel and said insert component comprises inserting said insert component in the opening of the vessel and joining the insert component with the vessel with a sealing mechanism provided on the insert component.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the volume of liquid in the vessel is carried out prior to inserting said insert component in the opening of the vessel.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the insert component further comprises, at the second open end, a base comprising a plurality of intersecting slits for receiving the stem of the horticultural product, and inserting the stem through the insert component comprises inserting the stem through one of said slits. 